Taiwan has picked up another foothold in Australia as the Northern Territory parliament launched a cross-party group dedicated to closer ties — a small but clear diplomatic win for Taipei.

• The Northern Territory's new Parliamentary Friends of Taiwan group formed in Darwin, chaired by Deputy Speaker Brian O'Gallagher.
• It drew backing from the territory's chief minister, the speaker, lawmakers from rival parties, and federal MPs.
• The focus is practical: trade and investment, plus closer links between politicians, businesses, and local communities.
• Taipei is pitching its strengths in chips, AI, data centres, and solar and smart-energy technology as a match for the territory's growth plans.
• Australia's federal parliament and several state assemblies already run similar groups, so this closes a gap on the map.

Outlook: Expect the group to push trade missions and business delegations next, with energy, farming, education, and tourism the likely first areas of cooperation.